


Music Heals

by val_mariuslatte



Series: Music Heals [1]
Category: Sexy Zone
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, M/M, Sexy Zone - Freeform, piano lessons
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-16
Updated: 2017-08-13
Packaged: 2018-12-02 23:44:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 9,549
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11520036
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/val_mariuslatte/pseuds/val_mariuslatte
Summary: Kikuchi Fuma is currently mad at the senior boy, Nakajima Kento, but when Nakajima is assigned as his piano tutor, will his feelings change?





	1. Bad Day

**Author's Note:**

> I've never written a FumaKen fanfiction before, so I hope it turns out well.

I put my earbuds in and play the tracks on my mobile phone. Like always, I'm walking to Tokyo Min, an all boys high school, in the early morning sun of spring. Already I'm later than usual. My little brother gotten red crayon on my school uniform so I'd had to change and throw that shirt in the washer. But then I realized that he had gotten blue crayon on my khaki pants. I only have two pairs of each uniform item, so I had to dig through my laundry hamper for the pants without crayon. Not that those are much cleaner. The school's uniform is a simple white button-up shirt, khaki pants, and a navy blazer with the school emblem. Some students wear sweaters during the colder months, but I prefer pretty lose clothing.  
I'd had to leave later than usual, but since I'm always early, the time shouldn't matter too much.  
I pull my history report out of my bag that had been written about the Heian period through the earlier hours of the morning. I rub my eyes exhausted from the work, but I force myself to read over the ten page essay one more time. A soft breeze blows by and it relaxes me, but only a little bit. A lot was riding on the Heian report.  
"Excuse me! Watch out!" The voice is familiar, but I don't immediately recognize it belonging to the popular senior from my school. I turn around just as he barrels by me on a red bike, knocking my shoulder and causing my papers to fly away in his tail wind and in the breeze that accompanies it. I don't why I didn't staple the darn papers.  
"Hey!" I shout back, but he was already around the corner of the block by then. "How annoying, that Nakajima." I grumble as I run towards my title page.  
I have three pages out of ten, so I need seven more. I scavenge for them around the sidewalk. If only I had stapled my papers, if only I hadn't typed it up on my home computer's software, then I would be able to print it again at school. My watch says 8:05, only five minutes until the first bell rings at Tokyo Min and I'm still two blocks away searching for now five more papers to my essay.  
A few minutes later I sigh and pick up the last two papers. All of them are crumpled and have dirt flecks covering them. Even from way out here I can almost hear the late bell from school, but I know I'm mistaken as there is loud traffic all around me. In fact, one of my papers has a shoe print on it. Ka Sensei is not going to like this. I turn away and run towards school.

"You're late, Kikuchi-kun. And by ten minutes." The secretary of the high school hands me a late slip and I walk towards my first period, which is history.  
As I try to walk into the classroom, I am blocked by someone else also trying to get in. His hand covers mine on the door knob and I pull back immediately.  
"Sorry, you first," I mumble, but then I see that it is Nakajima, Kento Nakajima, the very one who made me late and ruined my Heian report. I glare at him and he flinches, but nods and walks in. He isn't even in my first period class.  
"Ka Sensei." Nakajima hands my teacher a file. "I believe you asked..."  
I don't bother to hear what he has to say, I just sit in my usual spot in the front of the room by the door.  
"Thank you, Nakajima-kun." Ka Sensei dismisses him and Nakajima leaves without a single look in my direction. Go figure. "Kikuchi-kun." I look to my history teacher. "You're late." I hand him my slip. "Don't forget to turn your essay in at the end of class."  
He returns to his lesson and I take out my book to take notes.

At the end of class, I, and a bunch of other students, turn in my essay to the tray on Ka Sensei's desk as I leave, after it's stapled. I am the last one and as I place my tattered essay into the tray, Ka Sensei takes it out again.  
"Excuse me," I start. "Is there something wrong?"  
He holds up my essay next to someone else's. "See the difference? Did you bathe your essay in dirt?"  
"Something like that." I say, but when he gives me a stern look I clear myself. "I dropped it on the way to school."  
Ka Sensei flips through the pages and gives me a confused look when he sees the one with the muddy footprint on it.  
"This is unacceptable." He tells me and hands me back my report. "Turn it in tomorrow and only some points will deducted."  
I grab it and sigh before walking to my next class. I had worked all night trying to make sure that my report would be done on time. The hall's crowd seems to have dispersed and as I walk down the corridor I see Nakajima ahead and my mind fills with anger. It's his fault that my essay was ruined. It's his fault that I'll get a B when I desperately need an A in order to pass. Yeah, I should have stapled the papers, but it would've gotten dirty anyway. I roll up my stack of papers and throw it into a far trashcan, but I'm frustrated and miss. I had done a poor stapling job and now my papers were scattered in the school hall.  
As I'm halfway through picking up the papers, the late bell rings. It's as if this morning were repeating itself.

It's lunch now and I'm hoping that the day is going to reverse it's poor nature and bring me some good news. I'm eating with my friends Hiroshi Tama and Sato Shori. Tama says something and Shori's reaction makes me laugh. It's the first time I smile all day.  
"Um... Kikuchi-kun." I turn around and as if on instinct, my smile disappears. Nakajima is standing before me. "Can I sit beside you?"  
I look away, but mutter, "Sure."  
Why isn't he sitting with his regular group of friends?, I think. Of course, he's not doing any harm by just sitting there, so I need to calm down.  
"Listen," Is he talking to me? Oh yeah, I guess he is. "Was it you this morning?" Yeah, it was me. "'Cause we don't have any classes together, but I've seen you in the halls-- "  
"Yes, it was me." I reply, but don't look in his direction.  
"What happened?" Shori asks. "This morning?"  
"Nakajima-kun," I begin, "ran into me, causing me to loose my entire essay and make me late for school."  
Nakajima swallows and says, "I'm sorry. I came here to apologize."  
"You're forgiven." I wave him away.  
"Are you sure?" Nakajima says. "Because I'm really, really sorry. I didn't see you and by then it was too late. I tried to warn you, but-- "  
"It's fine." I grumble.  
"No, it's not. I'm sorry. I would've stopped to help, but-- "  
"Then why didn't you?" I raise my voice, but quickly bring it back down. "Perhaps if I had some help, my essay and now my grade wouldn't be ruined. I probably would've saved sometime as well." I stand abruptly and leave. I don't dare turn around, but I can feel Nakajima watch me go.

"That's great, class." Minda Sensei, the school's only female staff member and the music teacher, says.  
The final bell rings and I'm free to go home and not relax, but to stress over my essay some more.  
"Actually, Kikuchi-kun," Minda Sensei calls me over to her desk. "You said you were interested in playing the piano for your extra instrument exam?"  
The extra instrument exam just tells students to learn to play another instrument other than one you already can by the end of the first term. This project only calls out to juniors and seniors. I'm a junior this year.  
"Yes." I tell her.  
"Good. That slot is the only one left open." The students have to pick an instrument from off a list to avoid a bunch of students playing the same instruments during our end of term performance. "Now it is up to you how you learn to play, but I found a student willing to help anyone out on learning how to play the piano for a cheap price each lesson." She hands me an envelope with a paper stating the tutor's address and price. "Feel free to go tonight at seven."  
"Thanks."

The last thing I want to do tonight is go to a piano lesson, but I haven't started learning yet and it's already half-way through the first term of the school year. Not to mention when I got home I found out I had washed my school uniform in hot water, so they shrunk a size.  
I knock on the apartment door from the address.  
I hear footsteps clamber through the apartment as the door swings open.  
"Mom, I've got it!"  
Standing right in front of me is no other than that annoying Nakajima.  
"Oh, Kikuchi-kun. It's you." He says and he looks a little embarrassed, but his face straightens up soon enough.  
"Yeah. It's me."


	2. Mistaken

I sigh. It could have been anyone. My piano tutor could have been anyone and yet I got stuck with that Nakajima.  
"Come in," Nakajima moves out of the way of the door, gesturing for me to come in. "Follow me."  
He says and then starts walking through the foyer and into a grand dining room with a table that can sit about ten people. In a dark corner is a sleek, dark brown piano.  
Nakajima spins around to face me, "Have you ever played before?" When he sees me shake my head, he says, "Okay, then we can start with the basics."  
He gestures for me to sit onto the bench beside him. The bench is barely big enough for both of us, but I squeeze on anyway. Our legs rub against each other as Nakajima reaches across me to press the different piano keys, explaining their frequencies along the way. Then he slides off the bench and gets behind me, practically towering over me until he leans down and I feel his warm breath on the back of my neck.  
"I'll show you the resting position for your hands and a few simple tricks." He says and the warmth of him sends my insides into turmoil, but I shove the feeling down.  
About an hour goes by, and surprisingly, it's not the worst hour of my entire life. Nakajima was exceptionally nice to me and didn't get mad or frustrated every time I hit the wrong key, he laughed, which made me frustrated and mad, but it could've been worse. It was eight thirty when I started to gather my things and when Nakajima told me to come back tomorrow at seven. He said we could meet on Wednesdays and Thursdays from now on. Today is Monday.  
"Well, thanks," I nod to him.  
I'm about to open the door and leave when he says, "Hey, I'm sorry about this morning. I really am."  
I turn to him. "It's all right. I'm sorry for snapping at you during lunch. Thanks again." I turn back to leave, but once I open the door a bundle of fur comes knocking at my legs. "What the-- ?"  
"Bonita!" Nakajima shouts and picks up his dog. "How did you get out of my room?"  
I give a small laugh and wave bye before leaving.

The next day at school, I turn in my reprinted history report. At lunch I'm making some comment on how small Shori is when Tama leans in and starts whispering.  
"So is it true?" Tama says with a smirk on his face.  
"Is what true?" I ask and take a bite out of my lunch.  
"That since you lost your history paper yesterday, you tried to bribe Ka Sensei into giving you an A this morning." Tama says and raises his eyebrows, making them disappear into his light brown hair.  
"No," I almost spit out some food. "Who told you that?"  
"Them." Tama covertly nods his head to a table with a group of boys sitting at it.  
I scan my eyes across the table to see a combination of seniors and juniors. The juniors I know would never say something like that, but I see Kim Gi-Seoul, a transfer from South Korea, Matsuki Rei, a senior who can't decide what university he's going to, and Nakajima, that Nakajima. The only one of those boys who knew I lost my history paper is Nakajima. None of them are in my history class, but I told Nakajima.  
"It's not true." I tell Tama who's quick to believe anything. "Just dismiss it."  
"But I know you lost your history paper and had to turn it in late, so-- "  
"That doesn't make the rest of the rumor true." I point out and go back to eating.

Wednesday morning, I sit in history class as Ka Sensei passes out our graded essays.  
"I had some free time Monday and yesterday," Ka Sensei tells us as he hands them all back, well, all but mine.  
I glance around to see that I am the only one who has not received their report back. Then I notice the slim stack of paper still in my teacher's hand.  
"One essay stuck out to me in particular." Ka Sensei looks directly at me before looking back to the rest of the class. "His essay was a little late, but it was a spectacular representation of what went on in the Heidan period of Japan. Everyone give a small round of applause to Kikuchi-kun."  
Through the hand claps, I hear a boy behind me say.  
"Oh yeah, I wonder how he paid Ka Sensei."  
"Yeah, I need to know the secret since mid-terms damaged my grade not too long ago."  
"You don't think he... "  
"What? Kikuchi-kun? I don't think so. Ka Sensei is attractive for a thirty year old guy, but I don't think Kikuchi-kun would try the whole seductive approach. But if what the rumor says is true... "  
My back straightens up at the mere thought of that and I go stiff. Who on earth in their right mind would believe that? Much less start that rumor? I would never do that.  
Stay calm. Don't turn around. I tell myself and it seems as if class is lasting longer than it usually does.  
At the end of class, a boy I don't usually talk to walks up to me and he winks at me.  
His friend comes over and says, "Well, is it true? You got some serious praise from that guy. Good job."  
He didn't even wait for my answer. "No, it's not true."  
"You're lying."  
I snap, but keep my voice even. "You don't even know me. I'm not lying. I earned that grade fair and square."  
"You're denying-- "  
I just turn around and march out of the classroom.

All day students have been whispering about me when I walk through the halls or into a classroom. I haven't even talked to half of them, so why are they talking about me? It took a lot in me to ignore them and keep walking. No one approached me like that one kid in history did, and no one winked at me again, thank god.  
If Nakajima really did start this rumor... I don't even want to think about it. He had seemed so nice at our first piano lesson and I had forgiven him for making me late that morning.  
"Hey, Tama-kun." It's lunch now and I know I shouldn't ask for gossip, but I have to know who would do such a thing. "You know that rumor about me?"  
"Yeah, everyone knows about that rumor since it's been confirmed."  
That did not help my self-esteem at all.  
"Confirmed?" I ask.  
"Don't worry about it," Shori tells me, but it's more of a warning than him trying to reassure me.  
"Tell me." I demand to Tama.  
"Some kids from your history class said that you were 'praised by the teacher' and stuff. That rumor's getting out of hand man. You denying it is only going to make it worse."  
"But it's not true."  
Tama gives me a quizzical look, but doesn't answer. I turn my head to my left and watch Nakajima laugh with his friends. No one's talking about him behind his back. Lucky.

I still have piano lessons, I think. I'll ask Nakajima then if he started that darn rumor. I hope it's not him though. I'm walking out from music class, but I have to stop at my locker to put away a few books. The hall is surprisingly quiet, so that's why I don't slam my locker door out of anger when I hear Nakajima and the transfer Gi-Seoul talking around the corner.  
"...feel kind of guilty." Nakajima says, and immediately I know what he's talking about.  
"We're just having some fun. Kikuchi-kun can handle a little rumor fine." Gi-Seoul says.  
"Little rumor?" Nakajima protests.  
"Don't worry about it."  
"Maybe we should tell everyone it's not true." Nakajima suggests and I have to agree with that. Yes, maybe you should tell everyone that the stupid little rumor you started is NOT true.  
"Nah."  
I slam my locker door and make a purpose to walk by them with aggression.

Somehow, I find myself on Nakajima's front step as his door flies open and Bonita flies out at me.  
"Sorry about her." Nakajima gestures to the dog. He's always sorry about something. "I'm surprised you came." He picks up his dog and I follow him inside to the room where we practiced piano two nights before.  
"I almost didn't." I tell him and he sets Bonita free to run out of the room, much like how I want to do right now. "I came here to talk."  
"About what?"  
"I think you know." I say and cross my arms.  
"The r-rumor?" He stumbles a little and I can tell he is nervous.  
I scoff. "What else? The entire school thinks I did inappropriate things with a teacher to get a better grade on my Heidan paper. I don't usually care what people think of me, but no one wants that kind of reputation, especially if it's not true."  
"I'm sorry." Nakajima whispers.  
"You're sorry?" What's with this guy? "That's not going to help anything. I want you and your friends to tell the entire school what you did."  
This gets his attention and instead of staring at the ground he brings his gaze to meet mine. "You think I started the rumor?"  
"Yeah, who else?"  
"I didn't."  
"Oh, really?" I ask. "Then why'd you apologize?"  
"Because I felt sorry for you and that I didn't stop it." He holds his gaze strong. "But I promise that I didn't start it or spread it in any way."  
"Then who did? I heard you talking in the hallway with that Korean transfer."  
"Gi-Seoul-kun?" Nakajima says. "That's why you were so mad in the hallway." Well, duh. "You must not have heard the full conversation. I said that I would feel guilty if I did that kind of thing. It was Gi-Seoul-kun and Rei-kun who started the rumor. I only heard them talk of it. I didn't think they would actually go through with it."  
"Oh" is the only response I can muster.  
"But I'm sorry for telling them about your paper. They asked why I went over to apologize to you at lunch and I told them some of what you said."  
"Sorry for accusing you." I say now that I know the truth. Some part of me is relieved that Nakajima isn't the cause of the rumor.  
He nods. "Do you still want to continue on with lessons?"  
"Yeah." I say, because there's no reason not to.  
Again, I find myself surprised that lessons are going so well. It's kind of awkward since I had just accused Nakajima of ruining my social life. He's behind me again, helping guide my fingers along the keys as I attempt sheet music. Again, I hit the wrong key, sending a high pitch to fly through the air.  
I turn around to speak to him and our faces are so close. I swallow hard and ask what I was going to say, "Um, how did you get so good at this?"  
"Practice."  
"Please don't tell me that practice makes perfect."  
"Ah, but it does." Nakajima whispers and steps back. "It's been an hour."  
"Oh," I say, shocked that time escaped me so quickly. "Can I hear you play?" I don't know why I asked it, all I know is that I'm getting off the bench and Nakajima has already agreed and is sitting there.  
His fingers start flying across the keys, but in a slow graceful manor that creates a beautiful tune.  
"Do you like it? It's a new piece I'm trying out." He turns around and shyly asks.  
I nod. "Yeah, I do."  
At my praise, he abruptly stands. "Thanks, but it's late."  
I wave and leave a few minutes later.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> By the way, all characters are made up except for Shori, Kento, Fuma, and Bonita.


	3. "It's a date."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy!^^

It's been more than a week since my first piano lessons with Nakajima which have been going surprisingly well since I'm not out to get him. It's Friday, and I'm taking my brother out for a walk since he seems pretty hyper ever since I got home. I let him run ahead of me like a dog would.  
"Kikuchi-kun?" A voice says and I spin around to see that Nakaijma running toward me. "I thought it was you," he says as he catches his breath beside me. Did this guy run just to see me?  
"Hey, Nakajima-kun," I say to be polite. "What are you up to?"  
"I'm walking back from a relatives house." He tells me once he can breathe. "What are you doing out?"  
"I'm taking my little brother on a walk." I take a look around to see that my brother is no longer just a few feet in front of me. "Hey, get back here!"  
My brother comes racing back toward me. "Who's this?" he asks in his small voice as he walks on the other side of me.  
"Brother, this is Nakajima-kun, Nakajima-kun, this is my little brother." Out of the corner of my eye I see Nakajima wave to the boy around my legs who smiles broadly back.  
He runs off ahead of me again.  
"Don't go too far!" I call after him.  
"So you're doing well?" Nakajima asks me.  
"Yes." I reply. "I'm guessing you are too."  
"Yeah."  
We walk in silence for a while.  
"Do you live around here?" Nakajima asks another question, trying to make small talk.  
"Yeah, about a couple blocks away from this very spot." I point to the curb that's several meters away. "Race you?"  
"Race?" Nakajima asks but he stops and leans into a starting position with me.  
"Get ready, set, go!" I shout and together we run.  
Nakajima is taller than me, not by much, but is still taller than me. Apparently, he is also faster being as he won the race.  
"Hey, wait for me guys!" My little brother calls as we had passed him and he comes running towards us. Suddenly he stops in front of a stand selling little trinkets on the side of the curb.  
"I want this one!" He gestures to a small snow globe on the set-up table.  
"Come on, now, I didn't bring any money." I let him down and grab his arm to steer him away when Nakajima stops me. "I'll pay for it," he says.  
"No, you don't have to do that." I tell him, but he is already pulling out his wallet and handing the clerk the money. "Nakajima."  
He leans down to be eye level with my brother and turns the snow globe upside down. Together they watch the snow drift to the bottom.  
Nakajima hands him the trinket. "Take good care of it now."  
"Yay!" My brother is about to bounce away when I stop him.  
"What do you say?"  
"You're like mom," my brother fusses but turns to Nakajima and says, "Thank you!"  
"You're welcome." He messes up my brother's hair and falls in step beside me as we walk away.  
"You didn't have to do that." I tell him.  
"I know."  
"Now I feel like I have to repay you. Hey, how about we do something together?" I suggest and Nakajima looks a little confused by my proposal. "Like go to the movies later?"  
"Oh, uh, yeah, um, sure." Nakajima looks to me as if to ask if my offer was genuine.  
"When are you free?" I ask.  
"Uh, tomorrow is fine, if that works for you."  
"Yeah, that works." I look around before looking back to that Nakajima. "So the movies are fine?"  
"Uh-huh."  
"I'll see you at noon." I tell him and he responds with, "It's a date" before running off to where he needs to be. For some reason those words make my heart flutter.

The movie theatre is crowded. It turns out a lot of people wanted to see the movie Akumu-chan: The Movie. We get our tickets and popcorn and find a seat in the very back and highest row, since it seems to be the least crowded and no one will be behind us. We sit down just as the beginning commercials start.  
"I think the commercials is my favorite part of going to see a movie." Nakajima says.  
"Really?" I exclaim. "Why?  
"Because it fills you with anticipation for the coming film."  
"Interesting." The way Nakajima thinks.  
Half-way through the movie, Nakajima and I whisper comments back and forth, careful not to disturb anyone else but still get our point across. One of Nakajima's comments make me laugh and I throw my head back to let the sound out. Unfortunately, I hit my head on the wall behind me, making Nakajima laugh. People around us tell us to be quiet.  
"Ow," I exclaim, but Nakajima lets out a soft, whispered laugh. "It's not funny." I rest my head on his shoulder. We stay like this for the rest of the movie.

The movie is over and we're standing on the side walk outside of the theatre.  
"Thanks," Nakajima tells me, though he doesn't really need to. "For treating me."  
"No problem." I say.  
We wave and walk in our separate directions.


	4. Conclusion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been a while since I last wrote...it's school's fault....>.<

"Good. Good." That Nakajima compliments me on the piano. "You've improved a lot from the beginning, even though you were never really bad. I mean you were bad, pretty bad, but not that bad."  
"Thanks, Nakajima-kun." I slowly shake my head.  
"You can call me Kento..." Nakajima looks nervous when he adds, "-kun."  
"All right," I say. "Let's wrap it up tonight...Kento-kun." I stayed a little later to work a bit on the song I'll have to perform at the end of the term.  
I rise from the piano bench and Kento pushes off the piano, which he was leaning on.  
"Do you want me to walk you home?" Kento hurriedly says just as I walk out of his front door.  
"How old do you think I am?" I snap, a little amused. He's never asked to walk me home before, and to be honest, I don't need him to, but then his face drops and his gaze darts between me and the door I almost expect him to slam it in my face.  
"Sorry, of course you don't need an escort." Kento tries to laugh off the conversation, but I can tell he's a little hurt.  
"Come on," I say and start walking down the front steps.  
"What?"  
"Come on," I repeat. "If you're going to walk me home, let's get going."  
"Oh." I see Kento's spirits lift and he bounces down beside me.  
I tell him my address and lead the way. Together we walk until we reach my own doorstep.  
"This is it." I say and wave him good-bye.  
"Good night, Fuma-kun." Kento says and turns to walk away.  
It's a few moments later, and he's at the curb, that I finally shout, "Goodnight, Kento-kun!"  
He spins around and waves at me giddily before he continues walking.

"Shori, why are you so SMALL?" Tama is probably about to rant, because that's what the does. "I mean, I'm at least double your size."  
It's lunch on a Thursday.  
"I'm not that small." Shori defends himself. "Let's not talk about this."  
"Okay..." Tama reaches into his bag and pulls out what looks like manga.  
"What's that?" I ask.  
"It's this boys love manga that one of the seniors lent to me."  
"You read that kind of stuff?" I send him a questioning look.  
"No," Tama sounds almost offended. "It's for my sister. But anyway, I started flipping through the pages and thought it was pretty weird." He hands me the book and I flip through it. "See what I mean?"  
"Not really."  
He leans across the table and points to one of the characters. "He's the main guy who falls in love with that one." He points to another boy. It's strange since the main guy has my haircut and the one he "falls in love with" has facial features that kind of resemble Kento's. Why did I just think that? I keep flipping through it until Tama wrenches it from my grip. "Getting a little too engrossed?"  
"What? No." I say and continue eating, but I couldn't help but think of Kento. I steal a glance in his direction and coincidentally he looks up at the time I do so we make eye contact. He smiles and I feel the corner of my mouth turn up stupidly and I don't know why. I quickly look away.

This Thursday evening, I'm at piano lessons working on the song for the end of term performance.  
"You're doing fine, but you're late on this key when you play the second section of the song." Kento tells me.  
"What do you mean?" I ask and play the piece again, getting the same face from Kento.  
"Here, let me show you." Kento gets behind me and as I play the piece again, guides my hands. When I finish he says, "Let's do it again" and guides my hands for the second time.  
I note that his breath is warm against the side of neck and I can feel his arms flex and wrap around me whenever we reach for a key.  
"Good." Kento coaxes me softly. It was barely a whisper and I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have heard it if he wasn't so close to me, like really really close. So close that I grip his hands to make sure that he is actually there and this isn't a figment of my imagination.  
"Yeah? Fuma-kun?" Kento asks a little sheepishly since I'm holding his hands instead of playing the piano.  
"Oh," I break out of my trance. "Sorry." I slowly let go of his hands and go back to playing the song, from the beginning since I forgot my place.  
He backs away from me, that warmth gone, and he casually leans against the piano like he usually does.  
When I'm done he says, "Better." I nod and start to play again when he speaks. "What's wrong?"  
"Excuse me?" I ask, because that's better than saying I think you're attractive and now I'm going to go wash these thoughts with a sponge.  
"You've been acting weird today." Kento shrugs. "I'm just worried about you."  
Great. He's worried about me. I'm worried about me. "Don't be. I'm fine."  
"I'm not so sure." Kento tilts his head to get a better look at me even though I'm sure he can see me fine.  
"I'm fine." I look him in the eye. "Studies are just getting to me."  
He doesn't say anything so I'm assuming that's a good sign since half the time I have no idea what he's thinking. I start playing the piano again when he stops my hands.  
"Don't lie to me." Kento says firmly, but in a weak voice. "Okay? When you want to tell me what it is, let me know, but please don't lie."  
I nod and my shoulders slump. He's the first person to ever tell when I'm lying.

And that's when I think I fell in love with him.


	5. Dinner Calls

I wonder where he is right now... I believe he is in a mathematics course. That Nakajima, Kento Nakajima....  
Shake out of it and pay attention.  
But I can't. Ka Sensei is droning on and on again. Perhaps he is thinking about me as well? Nah, he's my tutor and I'm his student; why would he be thinking about me? And yet, I'm his student and I'm thinking about him.  
"Kikuchi-kun." Ka Sensei calls on me.  
"Excuse me?" I say, sorry that I wasn't focusing.  
Ka Sensei sighs and calls on someone in the back row.  
After another ten minutes of failed attempts on focusing, the class is dismissed.  
I continue to move through the day trying to regain my focal mainstream, but like in history class, my attempts appear fruitless. At lunch, I am able to tap into the heated debate between Shori and Tama. It's interesting because Shori rarely ever fights, much less raise his voice.  
"Avocados are vegetables." Tama protests. "I'm sure of it. I feel it in my soul."  
"No, they're fruit." Shori says and stabs his fork into his bowl. "They have seeds."  
"They grow off a vine." Tama rebuttals.  
"No," Shori gives him a stern look. "They grow off trees. In fact, they come from the Avocado Tree."  
"No, man," Tama says. "Stop pulling my leg."  
"They're fruit." I establish and hold up my smart phone with the search results of 'Are avocados fruits or vegetables?'.  
"I-I, wait, what?" Tama studies my phone screen and looks taken aback. "But my instincts are never wrong."  
"Yeah, yeah," I wave him off and stand with my lunch tray to dumb my garbage in the trash can or recycling bin.  
"Oh, Fuma-kun." Kento stands up when I walk by his table, causing me to almost drop my tray. Luckily my hands stopped shaking whenever I saw him about a week ago.  
"Hey, Kento-kun." I reply and add a gruff, "How are you?" mumbled under my breath.  
"Well." Kento follows me to the bins with his own tray. "And you?"  
"Good."  
After we dump our trays and set them aside I realize I'm still holding my phone.  
"Hey, Kento-kun, what's your number?" I'm not going to say I don't know why I asked, because I do. I just know that if I don't ask for his number now, I probably never will.  
"My number?" Kento asks and flashes me one of his trademark grins.  
"Yeah, you know. A phone number? Ever heard of it?" I ask, a little annoyed at his response.  
He grins even wider and takes my phone from my hand. "Here. I put my number in your contacts."  
When he hands me my phone back, he hands me his as well. I put my own phone number in his contacts.  
"Thanks." I say.  
"Yep."

Monday evening and I'm out grocery shopping with my mom. My dad is watching my little brother since Mom and I decided to spend some quality time shopping together.  
"So how's school?" my mom asks me as she put a box of butter into the shopping cart.  
"Fine." I say and add another item.  
"Good." She nods. "How's Shori? And Tama?"  
I think back to their debate at lunch today. "Good as ever."  
"That's nice to hear," she says and starts telling me about some women at her work place.  
As we turn down the cereal and breakfast isle, my phone vibrates and buzzes in my pocket. I take it out and see Kento's contact flash across the screen.  
"Kento-kun." I explain to my mom as I freeze and answer his call.  
"Who's that?" my mom asks and I'm forced to whisper, "Nakajima-kun. Piano."  
My mom continues down the isle to leave me to talk in front of a row of cereal boxes.  
"Kento-kun?" I ask. "Hello."  
"Fuma-kun, hello!" Kento says a little excitedly, but calms himself down. "I didn't want to call you the first afternoon we exchanged numbers, because you know..., but I just had to!"  
Did that Nakajima just say that?"  
"Oh, sorry," he says. "I probably sounded really weird just now."  
"It's all right." I tell him. Is it possible that he likes... nah. "It's nice to be talking to you." I'm not sure he'll know how much I mean that right now. He's all I've been thinking about when I can spare a single thought.  
"Well, I've got a surprise."  
And just like that, he ends the phone call. I stare at my phone a moment and then I see that the cereal boxes in front of me have parted and Kento's head is resting on the shelf.  
"Kento-kun?" I ask, almost in disbelief, but he puts the cereal boxes back and is now standing in front of me.  
That Nakajima.  
"Hey, Fuma-kun." Kento shoves his hands in his jean pockets.  
"Fuma, who's this?" My mom pushes the cart to a stop beside me.  
"Uh..." I struggle to find the correct words, hiding all I want to say with, "He's a friend from school and my piano tutor. Nakajima Kento-kun, meet my mom. Mom, meet Kento-kun."  
They pay each other respects.  
"Kento-kun, so nice to finally meet you." My mom tells him.  
"Finally?"  
"Yes." My mom confirms. "Fuma-kun leaves three evenings a week to go see you and yet we've never met until now."  
"Oh, yeah," Kento says. "I've been taking good care of him." Kento jokes and my mom smiles.  
"Why don't I have you over for dinner some time?" My mom offers with a waving gesture of her hands.  
"I'm free tonight." Kento blurts.  
"Sure." My mom agrees, making me both excited and happy at the same time. She takes out a notepad and pen from her purse and writes down our address before giving Kento the note.  
"Oh," Kento seems a little shock, and if I must admit, so am I. "Is Fuma-kun all right with this?"  
Kento looks at me for an answer. "Of course," I answer with a straight face.  
"Can you come in about two hours or so?" My mom asks.  
"Yes," Kento replies. "But I have to drop off a few groceries for my parents back at their place. I'm here running a small errand for my dad."  
"Of course." My mom smiles.  
"I should get going." Kento breaks the conversation. "It was nice meeting you, Miss. See you later, Fuma-kun."  
And just like that, he was gone.

"Kenty!" My little brother calls out as he and my dad stroll around a wall into my dining room.  
He takes his rightful place across from me at the table. My parents sit at both head positions of the table and I sit in between my mom and Kento who sits beside my dad and across from no one. It's silent and kind of awkward as everyone fills their plates.  
"So you're teaching our son piano?" My father asks the boy beside him.  
"Ah, yes, sir." Kento says politely.  
"Is he doing well?" My father likes to make sure of some things.  
"In my opinion, yes." Kento nods.  
"In your opinion?" My dad asks. "You two practice alone?"  
"Yes, sir." Kento states. "And the final project is coming up in a less than a few weeks."  
My dad nods and looks to me. "You better thank this boy for helping you with your music project."  
"I will, Dad." I say and turn to Kento. "Thank you."  
He bows dramatically and says, "Why, you're welcome."  
Then my little brother pulls out a small snow globe. "Treasure."  
"Treasure?" Kento asks.  
"Yeah," my brother responds. "Because my brother's friend bought it for me."  
"You're brother is cute." Kento whispers. At first I thought he was talking to my little brother about me, but then I realize he was whispering TO me.  
"He's not that cute." I whisper back.  
Time flies and soon dinner is over and I'm standing with Kento on my front porch.  
"Can't believe the final project is coming up so quickly." I say and lean on the railing.  
"Me, too." Kento says. "Hey, will you still take piano lessons even after the project?"  
"Maybe." I reply. "There wouldn't really be a need to then."  
"Oh" is all he says.  
Together we just kind of stand there and watch people walk by and the sun go down in silence. He, too, is leaning on the railing only a two inches away. I close the gap between us. He notices, but he doesn't do anything.  
After about fifteen minutes, Kento announces, "I've got to get home and you've got to get inside."  
"Okay," I say. "Good bye." I regret the words as soon as they come out. I don't want him to leave.  
"Goodnight." He waves to me and I watch him walk away, but as soon as he's out of sight I instantly feel a pool of loneliness bubbling inside of me.  
I think about running to him. He can't be that far. Instead, I walk inside and slowly shut the door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed^^. I actually felt really lonely at the end of the chapter.


	6. Not Just a Hug

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oooh...big scene coming up.

One week. That's how much time is left before my mid-term music project performance. I've been rehearsing with Kento every week day afternoon, but that doesn't seem to be enough. I always hit the wrong note, or play a little fast. My hands like to move pretty fast. A few weeks ago, Minda Sensei had given me the sheet music to study with at tutoring sessions. My entire music class practices together during school, but I still don't think I'm ready.  
"You'll do great." Kento always tells me. "Don't worry. I'm sure you can do it."  
"You'll be fine." Shori always reassures me.  
And I always reply with, "I'm not worrying, but thanks." I lie because I don't want them to think any less of me.

"Kikuchi-kun," Minda Sensei demands my attention as I'm standing on the stage, probably looking like a fool staring into space at the red curtains that are closed in front of me. "Someone's here to see you." Minda Sensei points to that Nakajima who's standing at the side of the stage. "He's very persistent and won't go away until he talks to you."  
I grin, part of the stress of tonight instantly melting away when I look at him, but then double the amount of stress comes flooding back as I realize he'll be watching me.  
Duh he'd be watching me. Most of the students are coming out tonight.  
"Kento-kun." I say when I reach him. "What are you doing? Students who aren't performing aren't supposed to be back here."  
"I know." Kento says. "I had to sneak around Ka Sensei to get through the door."  
After a few moments of silence I ask, "So why are you back here?"  
"I just wanted to say good luck." He tells me.  
"Okay...thanks." I respond and for a second his smile falters when he sees me glance nervously around and then back at him.  
"Kikuchi-kun!" It's Minda Sensei again. "Get back to the piano please. The curtains are about to go up."  
"Good luck!" Kento calls after me one last time as I jog to the piano that is at the far end of the stage behind the student with the trumpet.  
Here's how tonight is going to work.  
5,...  
Each person has a solo.  
4,...  
Half of the students will perform their solo at the beginning of the performance.  
3,...  
Then everyone will play together in one big piece of music.  
2,...  
The other half of the students will perform.  
1,...  
And then everyone finishes together.  
The curtains go up.  
First the trumpet starts playing, then the accordion, followed by the guitar and then the bass. In the crowd I see my parents and my little brother in the middle. I find Kento's parents in the front row of the seat. Occasionally his mom or dad would walk by the dining room while he was tutoring me and we would exchange greetings, but other than that, we never really talked. Shori and Tama are two rows behind them  
For some reason, right now of all times, I remember Kento asking me, "Hey, will you still take piano lessons even after the project?" Do I? No, I don't. I don't have a passion for the piano like he does. It would be like dating a banker only for their money. Oh, no...don't think of dating now. I still want to spend time with him though. Would he say 'yes' if I asked him out somewhere?  
After the last instrument of the first half finishes playing, all of the instruments join in together to create a pleasant melody. I wonder where Minda Sensei got the sheet music from. My hands fly across the keys and I realize I'm moving at a beat too fast, so I slow down. Now I'm a beat behind. How does Kento play the piano so beautifully? He makes it look so easy. Sometimes I ask myself if he only plays for me to show off. Well...playED for me.  
After about five minutes of us all playing together, we do solos again. My piano is smack dab in the middle of the second session, so after violin stops playing, I pick up. I force my fingers to slow down and I look to the sheet music that's propped up in front of me. With a pang that rings out into the auditorium, I hit the wrong key. Oops, I hope no one heard that. I keep playing. Another guitar picks up the music when I finish and I sigh out of relief. I turn my head to the right to see Kento leaning against the wall looking at me and giving me a thumbs up. Ka Sensei steps beside him and pushes his shoulder in order for Kento to face him. I see him mouth the words, "You need to leave." Kento gives me a final look made up of fake fear before allowing Ka Sensei to steer him away. I smile.  
The last solo is finished and all the instruments come together again to create the final melody. The performance ends with a dramatic drop in instruments and a long surge of applause from the crowd. The students stand, if they were sitting, and we all bow as the curtains are drawn together.  
"Good job, everyone!" Minda Sensei cries out.  
Students and staff members start moving themselves and their instruments off stage. In groups people either file out the door or chat backstage. Some friends and I talk in the corner, but one by one they drift off to leave and I'm left alone. I start walking down a hallway to retrieve my bag that's in one of the back rooms. When I walk into the room that looks like a teacher's lounge, I see that Nakajima. Kento is leaning against a counter on his phone. He's probably playing Tsum Tsum.  
He looks up at me and slips his phone into his pocket. I'm so relieved to see him and glad that the performance is over, even though it really wasn't that bad, I spread my arms out wide, expecting a hug. After all this time, I have never hugged him. Hopefully he will take this as a thank you, but something tells me he took it as something else as he bounds over to me and hugs me back. Only the hug is cut short by him clapping me on the back and then backing away so that he looks me in the eyes. A strong feeling overcomes me and I move my hands from around his back to cup his delicate face and...kiss him. I feel his lips freeze up under mine, but to my surprise he kisses back after a moment and I don't want to stop. The kiss is still as we just take each other in.  
"Fuma? Are you back here?" My mom's voice rings out and we quickly pull away from each other. She round the corner into the room. "Oh, there you are. Hey, Nakajima-kun. Come on, we're leaving."  
"Okay, just let me get my stuff." I say it so quietly I didn't think she heard me, but she responds with a "Hurry, please."  
As I walk past Kento I whisper, so that only he can hear, "Don't tell."  
As my mom turns around to walk out of the room, he says, "I won't if you don't."  
Without another word, I follow my mom out of the room and silently to the rest of my family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That was really fun to write >,<


	7. Lively Kiss

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter made me change the rating from "general audiences" to "teen and up" on this fanfiction. XD ;)

I sigh as the last bell of the day, and the entire spring term, rings. Finally. Ever since the music recital, Kento and I haven't spoken; if you don't count that he left a message on my phone saying that if I wanted to continue piano lessons, that I would meet him later that night. I didn't show.  
"So do you have any plans for spring break?" Tama and Shori lean against the lockers on either side of me.  
"No," I respond and shovel my books into my locker. I won't be needing them for at least a week. "Do you?"  
"Nope." Tama tells me. "Well, for the first few days I'll be in Okinawa visiting some family. How about you Shori?"  
"I'll be visiting a friend and his family in Shizuoka Prefecture." Shori exclaims somewhat excitedly.  
"You guys will travel while I hang around with my younger brother." I say, not too happily. At the same time, I don't mind staying at home with my family. When it comes down to it, family and friends are all someone has.  
"Haha. I'll catch you guys later." Tama jogs down the hall and out the front doors of Tokyo Min High.  
"I'll call you over break." Shori tells me, claps me on the back, and jogs in Tama's direction.  
"Have a good one." I call out.  
"You too." He shouts, earning a glare from Ka Sensei.  
I sling my bag over my shoulder and begin to walk out as well when I hear a "Hi, Fuma-kun" from my left. I turn to see who it is and find that Nakajima looking at me hopefully. He falls into step beside me as we walk out of the doors.  
"Hello, Kento-kun." We reach the end of the school campus in silence as we walk down the sidewalk in the direction of my house.  
"Are you walking me home now?" I ask.  
It was meant to be a joke, but he answers me with a dead serious, "Yes."  
I swallow in surprise, and luckily my pace doesn't falter so he can't see how flustered I am.  
After walking an entire block without saying anything, I tell him, "Well, this is awkward. Why don't we talk? How are you, Kento-kun?"  
Our conversation seems to have taken on a doll-like tone. "Well. Thank you very much, Fuma-kun. How are you?"  
"Very well. Thank you for asking." I reply. "It's a nice day isn't it?"  
"Yes." Kento agrees. "A very nice day."  
We really get into our little joke and I see him frown when me house comes in sight.  
Instead of turning into my driveway, I lead him on to keep walking with me straight ahead.  
"Fuma-kun." Kento says. "That's your house."  
"Duh." I say, a little gruffly and I see the corners of his mouth tilt even farther down. "Sorry." I grumble. "We need to talk."  
"Talk...about what?" Kento asks suspiciously.  
"You know what." I say and when he remains silent I add, "Don't you remember? I kissed you after the music project."  
"How could I forget?" Kento scoffs. "I kissed you back."  
"Yep." I say. "So...what's our relationship?" To be fair, I've never really dated, much less dated a guy, so I'm not sure if I was supposed to ask that.  
"Our r-relationship?" Kento says and his eyebrows soar. "You want me to decide?"  
"There's a decision to be made?"  
"Do I get to pick if we're dating or not?" Kento asks incredulously. "Because dating. Definitely dating."  
I smile at him and see that he's blushing, a light pink coloring a nice tan. "I like you, too." I grab his left hand with my right and we round the corner that shows us my house. We walked in a circle.  
According to that Nakajima, we're "definitely dating", so that just made my day. It's a given that this is a secret since we go to an all boys school. Despite gossip being associated with girls...well, you know what happened with the whole Ka Sensei rumor. If someone in our school finds out one of the guys is gay, then everyone will avoid him because they're NOT gay and they don't want to be associated with the term since there's a chance that girls from the all girls academy down the road might avoid him as well. And no one wants to be in the situation where their friend likes them, but they can't return the feelings.  
"Well, I-I'll get going now." Kento tries to pull his hand away, but I keep my grasp tight.  
"Do you want to come in?" I ask, but then I have to let his hand drop so that I can unlock and open my front door.  
"Sure." Kento decides and I lead him in through the doorway.  
"You can set your stuff beside mine." I gesture to the coffee table that I just placed my bag on. Kento does the same. "My dad's at work, and my mom and brother won't be home for at least a half an hour."  
"Okay."  
"What do you mean 'okay'?" I harrumph. "I haven't seen you for a week. Kiss me."  
His cheeks flash bright red and I'm sure that mine are as well as I grab the collar of his blazer and pull him down with me as I sit on the couch. I press my lips against his sweet ones and he wraps one arm around my waist, the other around my back. Our legs are tangled together, but Kento eventually finds his way into my lap. I wrap both of my arms around his neck to pull him ever closer and he does the same, crushing our chests together, so tight I can barely breathe. Still, I want more.  
I'm not keeping track of time, I'm only taking him in, feeling the warmth of his lips on my own.  
We both gasp and as I'm reaching for his hair to take in my fingers, he slips his tongue through the part in my lips. This kiss is much more alive than our first one and I slip my tongue past his. I start to curl my fingers around his soft black hair as I gently push him down onto the couch so that I am on top of him. Kento moves his hands from on my back to the inside of my blazer and pulls me closer. I back up a little so I can lick his lips and I hear him sigh in ecstasy. I run my kiss over his sharp jawline and sigh myself. Our legs somehow find themselves in the mess they were when I first pulled Kento down onto the couch. Kento softly kisses me on the cheek, which tickles but I find it cute, and once again his mouth finds mine.  
As I run my tongue over his, I hear car doors slam outside.  
I break the kiss and look out the window to see my mom and my brother walking up the front porch steps. Quickly, we untangle ourselves and wipe our mouths. In about two seconds we're both on our phones and sitting upright on the couch.  
They aren't supposed to be home so soon.  
"Fuma? We're here." My mom announces as she throws open the door and in walk her and my brother. "  
"Hey, guys." I say. "I had Kento-kun over for a while."  
"Oh," my mom exclaims. "Hello, Kento-kun." My mom sits down beside me.  
"Why don't you show me your room?" Kento suggests and I can tell Kento wants to escape the attention of my family, specifically my little brother who's talking Kento's ear off about his day.  
"You still haven't shown him your room?" My mom exclaims, which startles me. "When I was your age, that's where my friends and I would always go."  
"Well, we were...busy." I tell her as Kento and I stand.  
"What were you doing while I was gone?" she asks.  
"Nothing!" Kento and I both hurry to add.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm thinking about ending this book here, should I? It's in a series, so I'll definitely be writing more, but is this a good stopping point?


End file.
